Lack of proper roads has virtually cut off four tribal villages in Pachamalai Hills in the last five years.
In Kombai panchayat, TNSTC buses terminate at Sembulichanpatti. They do not proceed to Maruthai, Erumapatti, Erikkadu, and Gundur village as the roads are badly damaged. More than 300 tribal families live in these villages.
During 2014-15, a 6-km metal road was first laid using Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Fund between Sembulichanpatti and Gundur following which the TNSTC started a bus service between Thuraiyur and Erikkadu village. However, lack of maintenance damaged the roads in a short time and the bus services were stopped.
“We have to carry pregnant women in a cradle to Sembulichanpatti as neither ambulance nor cars can come this way”, said T. Arjunan from Erumapatti village. He said: “Government nurses used to visit us frequently. Now, citing the condition of road, they don’t come. The hills don’t have medical facilities at night and we have to go to Thuraiyur Government Hospital for any emergency,” he added.
R. Shankar, a resident, said: “Around 13 motorcycles got repaired because of these roads. It costs ₹10,000 to ₹15,000 to repair bikes. Including myself, many of us have fallen and got injured on these roads.”
“We cultivate pepper and cashew here but transporting them costs a lot,” said R. Valli of Erikkadu. “Even relatives have stopped coming to our places because of the road conditions. Our only expectation from the government is good roads, nothing else.”
An activist from Thuraiyur taluk, who did not want to be named, said: “In several hills, roads are maintained by the Highways Department but here roads are under the panchayat and it does not have funds to maintain them. There is a huge pit between Maruthai and Erumapatti village where buses can fall off the hill. Fearing many such factors, TNSTC has stopped its services.”
A senior official from the TNSTC told The Hindu that the bad condition of the road makes it impossible to operate buses.
A glimmer of hope
A senior official from the Rural Development Department pointed to an upcoming ₹6.5-crore worth road construction work in the area.
“By utilising different Union government schemes, a project has been recently sanctioned. After the election Model Code of Conduct is withdrawn, tenders will be issued for the project,” he added.
